Draft Implementing Act Consistent approach to determine the

Draft Implementing Act Consistent approach to determine the milestones and targets in the performance framework and to assess the attainment of the milestones and targets (Art. 20 (4) of CPR) Veronica Gaffey & Jan Marek Ziółkowski Evaluation & European Semester Unit DG for Regional and Urban Policy 1 Regional Cohesion Policy

The implementing act covers 4 elements: 1. Documentation of the establishment of milestones and targets; 2. Requirements for different types of indicators; 3. Ensuring that milestones and targets are realistic and achievable; 4. Verification of the attainment of milestones and targets. 2 Cohesion Policy

Documentation of the establishment of milestones and targets In order to ensure that milestones and targets set for the performance framework comply with the CPR criteria Programmes and priorities (except for TA) The managing authority should document the methodologies and criteria applied to … ERDF, ESF, CF select indicators for the performance framework and set corresponding milestones and targets EMFF set milestones and targets (the output indicators will be standard ones) EARDF set targets (the output indicators and milestone values will be standard ones based on the Common Monitoring and Evaluation System) 3 Cohesion Policy

Documentation… …should allow for verification if the criteria are met and include, but not limit itself to: Criteria as set out in Annex II of the CPR Information realistic and achievable transparent, with objectively verifiable targets and the source data identified and, where possible, publicly available data or evidence used to estimate the value of milestones and targets and the calculation method verifiable, without imposing a disproportionate administrative burden capturing essential information on the progress of a priority rationale for selection of output indicators, as well the method applied to calculate the share, which must exceed 50% of the financial allocation consistent across programmes, where appropriate information on how the methodology and mechanisms to ensure consistency were applied in line with the Partnership Agreement Cohesion Policy 4

Documentation… The criterion of relevance and consistency with the nature and character of the specific objectives can be verified in the context of the assessment of the clarity of the intervention logic of the priority. Where the programme uses result indicators and key implementation steps, the documentation shall include as well the rationale for the use of result indicators (e. g. assessment of their close link with the supported policy interventions) and key implementation steps (e. g. assessment demonstrating that no or few outputs can be expected before end of 2018). A summary of the information on the methodologies and criteria applied to select indicators for the performance framework and set corresponding milestones and targets may be included in the programme and full information shall be made available at request from the Commission. Cohesion Policy 5

Requirements for indicators The milestones and targets are set at the level of the priority. In the case of a 'complex' priority, they must be broken down by the ESI Fund and the category of region. If the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) is implemented as part of a priority, the YEI should be considered as a separate fund for setting milestones and targets. Indicator Requirement for the milestone and the target Financial indicator Refers to the total amount of eligible expenditure entered into the accounting system of the certifying authority, with the exception of the EAFRD (the realized total public expenditure entered into the common monitoring and evaluation system) Output indicator Refers to the achieved value for fully implemented operations, with the exception of the ESF, where they also relate to the achieved value for partially implemented operations in line with art. 5 (2) of the ESF regulation Cohesion Policy 6

Requirements… Indicator Requirement for the milestone and the target Key implementation step It should be used as a milestone where no measurable output is expected by the end of 2018 and should not be used as target. It may be used if the outputs expected by the end of 2018 will be insignificant. A key implementation step could refer to the number of selected operations, which are to deliver outputs, by the end of programming period. Result indicator Used only where appropriate and closely linked to the supported policy interventions. 7 Cohesion Policy

Realistic and achievable milestones Indicator Financial indicator The milestone cannot be lower than the N+3 amount or higher than the cumulative allocation for years 2014 -18 (corresponding contribution of the Member State included in both cases). Calculation should take into account the profile of expenditure, the form of support, and past disbursement experience (to be documented). The target for the financial indicator cannot be lower than the cumulative allocation for 2014 -2020, for any given priority. 8 Cohesion Policy

Realistic and achievable milestones Indicator Other indicators The calculation of milestones and targets should take into account the financial allocation, the timeframe of intervention, the form of support, the type of action, the size and character of target group, as well as the historical data, where available, such as data on unit costs or benchmarks. Expert advice, including the result of the ex-ante evaluation, may be used to complement other sources of information (the data used and the calculation process to be documented). Any calculation method to set the milestones should not take into account the financial allocation set aside as the performance reserve, whereas the setting of targets should take into account the amount of performance reserve. 9 Cohesion Policy

Attainment of milestones and targets In case of 'complex' priorities, the assessment of the achievement of milestones and targets is undertaken by Fund and by category of region. The YEI is to be considered as a separate fund for that purpose. A priority will be deemed to have… if… …achieved the milestone or the target all indicators included in the related performance framework have attained – respectively – by the end of 2018 at least 85% of the milestone value or by the end of 2023 at least 85% of the target value 10 Cohesion Policy

Attainment of milestones and targets A priority, whose performance framework includes will be deemed to have… if. . . no more than 2 indicators seriously failed to achieve the milestone or the target any of these indicators has failed to attain – respectively – by the end of 2018 at least 65% of the milestone value or by the end of 2023 at least 65% of the target value more than 2 indicators seriously failed to achieve the milestone or the target at least two of these indicators has failed to attain – respectively – by the end of 2018 at least 65% of the milestone value or by the end of 2023 at least 65% of the target value 11 Cohesion Policy

Reference documents FICHE NO 24 A – IMPLEMENTING ACT ON THE ARRANGEMENTS TO ENSURE A CONSISTENT APPROACH FOR DETERMINING MILESTONES AND TARGETS IN THE PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK FOR EACH PRIORITY AND FOR ASSESSING THE ATTAINMENT OF THE MILESTONES AND TARGETS 12 Cohesion Regional Policy